34 ,+ :'F ur Religiorìc in the World. lntrodu& and<doihudf,as.Kings, who give Laws, andyet give no rewards to them that keep them, but punifh the breakers of them : Gods goodnefs is greater tous men. Mid'atiQdethath a reward for his Children that feek and ferve him , fohath he rettiboloii, viz,.punifhment for them that negleft him,and break his Commandments,' whichwe might eafily prove, both by ancient and modern ftory. So that we may conclude this point, that Gods Providence is manifeft in reward- ing the good. And fo much againft the Epicure. CHAP..VIII. The fourReligions in the world. Of Paganifine 5 Reafons again'? the plurality of Gods. That there can be but one God proved out of their onus Philofophers. That their Reli- gletirodsfalfe. Howmancame tobeworfhipped. How Beafts. Of the Miracles and Oracles of the Gentiles. He next point tobe handled is, that the Scripturesof the Old and New Tefla- T ment are only true, and that all other either Oracles or Books of Religions be- fines thofe are faite and erroneous I Cor.8.5,6. The Apoltle bath fat this for aPrinciple or ground. That though there are many that be called Gods, but to to there is but one God. And if but oneGod, then but one trueReligion. In the ,fearch whereof wecome intoa.Qaadrivium, or way that bath four turnings, viz. the four Principal Religions of the world, in which the greateft part of the world have fought God. Thefe are, 1. That oldie Heathen in America, and in theEafl Indies notifies, and in a great part of Tdrtary, who worfhipthe Creatures,&c. and this is called Paganifm. 2. That ofthe Jews fcattered through the world, and this is called J udaifm. 3. That of Turns and Saracens in Afia, part of Africa, and Europe, and this we call Turcifm or Mahometanifm. 4. That whichChriflisns hold, which is called Chri4ianity. Now feting that according to the Apoftles Rule, there cai bebut one true. It refts toprove which of them is fo. The Emperours Embefiadòr being at Conftanrinople with the Grand Signioror great Turk., and efpying in a Cloth of eftate four Candle- fticks wrought, with four Candles in them, three whereof were turned upfide-down into the Sockets, as if they were put out, and the fourth of them burning, with this Arabique lnfcrìption, Liaoeft vera Lax, this is the true light, queftioned the mean- ing-thereof, andwasanfwered, That there werefour Religions in the world, whereof tfi>ae were falfe, and the other (which was theirs) was the true. Let us therefore examine which is the true, andwhich the falfe; andfrtt begin with t. Paganifm. And this hadonce fpread it Pelf over all the earth, except onecorner of Syria : and it cannot be denied, but that in the knowledge of Arts, Politic, and Philofophy, the Heathen exceeded all other Nations, and their light shined that way,brightelt aboveothers : and that in thefe things we have all lighted our Candle at theirs. And yet as the wifcft of us may wonder at them for their .extraordinary natural and humane knowledge, fo the fimpleft of usmay laugh at them for their abfurditics in the worthip of God, fo dim hath theirlight burnt in matter of Reli- gion. TheApoftle in the place lalt quoted path two Arguments againft them, to prove that there mutt needs be but one God, and theyerred becaufe theyhad many gods, many lords. And indeed many theyhad. Parromakes the number of them 30000, whereof there were 3co 7opiters, beliides a number called dü majorumgentium,&mi- L.4.De ay. ïsornm; & chi uttularei, ttitular gods, &c. and as St. Aquiline fpeaketh, nume- nü, rare porefl ? the number was fo great, that noman could r :ckon them. r. He from whom all things are, can be bist * one. The reafonis, Inferiour Caufes are refembtances of Superiour, and they of the Highefl: but we fee is all Inferiour Caufes, many Branches come from one Root, many. Parts are ru. r Cor.8.6. led by one Head, many Veins from one Matter Vein and many Rivers and Channels from one 'Fountain. So in Superiour Caufes, there arc many Caufes from one; as many Lights from one, and many Motions . from one Motion : there-
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